“WHEN I TAKE MY OVERALL I´M A SON; A BROTHER AND A FRIEND; LIKE ANY OF YOU”

“WHEN I TAKE MY OVERALL I´M A SON; A BROTHER AND A FRIEND; LIKE ANY OF YOU”

Hi everyone!

As I promised, I have already read all the questions that you have sent to my Twitter and Facebook accounts. I´ve worked flat out! You´ve made me sweat blood!! Even more than in the car! Altogether, more than 7.000 questions that have livened up our neverending flights from one GP to another!

I´m still amazed at the amount of support I receive from you, and I´ll never get tired of thanking you. It seems that you are really enjoying the pictures, videos and messages that we are uploading, and not only on my account. As I mentioned last time, my physios, Fabrizio and Edoardo, and my manager, Luis, have also set themselves the target of giving you a firsthand insight of this wonderful world, and everything that surrounds it. And, whilst we’re at it, you’ll get to know me a little bit better.

Yes… We spend half our lives on planes, working out very hard, working on the simulator, with the rest of the team in Maranello, attending the media, going to the events scheduled by the Scuderia and the sponsors… You’ve already seen it! But we also have some time to relax that we wanted to share with all of you – you´ve always been part of this team, which is my second family.

You´ve asked me to be honest and sincere in my answers. And I always will be, never doubt that. As I clarify in the interview, I´ve always shown myself as I am, although I have had to see myself –and not recognize myself- on lots of front covers of newspapers. For the things that really matter, I´m still the same person: the same guy that made his debut in F1 eleven years ago. I don´t consider myself different from anybody else: I miss the people who matter to me as any of you would do if you had to spend more than 280 nights far away from home because of your job. When I put on my overall, I´m competitive and a real fighter until the last lap. When I take it off, I´m a son, a brother and a friend, like any of you.

I´ve been asked in a lot of messages about my teammates. I´d like to clarify, once and for all, my unconditional support for Stefano and Felipe. As I explain to you, it´s always easy to praise when things go well, but it´s even easier to criticize when things go bad.

I also want to thank you for the messages I received yesterday. But we didn´t give it any importance since it was only a crash at 7 km/h…

I´ve answered a large amount of questions: once more, I´ve been impressed by your imagination. By the way, Did you know that I collect all my grid mates’ helmets? And that my favorite corner in the Championship is turn 14 at Sepang? Mmmmm…There are more curiosities below. I hope you enjoy it!

Forza_Nando (TT) Which is, in your opinion, the most difficult turn in the Championship?

Mmmm… Turn 14, Malaysia.

jclancha72 (TT) How do you know if the lap you are doing is good? Is it because of the timer on the steering wheel or do you have a sixth sense? Because with those differences…

We have a reference on the steering wheel that updates itself every metre on the track and shows you the difference with the best lap time you´ve done –which it memorizes. So, for example, when I go out for Q2, I have a reference of my Q1 lap time. On the straights you usually look at it to know how the lap is going and how much more you can improve on the last turns.

Nacho_2810p (TT) In a wet race, when you are behind some other cars and you have almost no visibility… Are you scared?

I wouldn’t say I’m scared, because fear and competition aren´t compatible. Of course, when you are driving down a straight at 300 km/h and you can´t see a thing, and you can´t stop accelerating because the driver who is behind you can´t see you either… It isn´t nice, trust me.

Jose Antonio Fenollosa (FB) How much rubber in centimetres does a tyre lose per race?

New rubbers don´t even have a centimetre! They lose about 4 or 5 millimetres…

JuancalabuigVK (TT) Do you feel capable of completing a lap in a Formula 1 car through the old Nurburgring?

Yes. Why not? There are places and corners where a current F1 would have problems with the pot holes and bankings, but you can do a lap anywhere.

enderxe 2 (TT) If you had to choose between breaking strongly off line with a lot of marbles, or driving on the grass at 300 km/h… What would you do?

Mmm… You wouldn’t brake hard in neither case; you’re more likely to carry out a manoeuvre to save that turn and try to recover the time on the next laps, but I think I prefer grass to marbles.

Javi_Fonte 2 (TT) What is the best feeling when you are driving a Formula 1 car? Turns? Acceleration?

Turns and braking. Ferrari´s most powerful road cars can give you a similar sensation when accelerating to that of a Formula 1 car. But no car will ever get close, not even a bit, to the turning and brake force of an F1 car.

armandozzz1 (TT) At 300km/h, senses are reduced to 80%. Do you work on intuition techniques or mental control?

No. I knew nothing about the senses! I´ve been behind a wheel for 27 years, maybe they’re already used to going at 300km/h…ha ha ha

Art_jmartinez (TT) When you brake, Do you stop accelerating completely? Or do you tap the accelerator when you reduce gear?

You stop accelerating completely. In the past, in other categories, you had to do it. Anyways, you can adjust the engine brake with the 1000 buttons you have on the steering wheel in order to have more or less effect –depending on the turns.

Jessica Jorge Fernandez (FB) Hello, my question is: On trips between different Grands Prix, Do you fly with conventional airlines? Or do you use a Ferrari charter flight? Good luck and enjoy the weekend… And the next ones…

We fly with conventional airlines. For some of the European races the team charters flights, together with Toro Rosso, coming out of Italy. If I am in Italy before or after the race, I join them!

Emmanuella Zarraga (FB) Hello Fer. What do you do once the race is finished? Where do you go?

When the race is finished, you have to weigh yourself and attend the different televisions. Then you change your clothes, have a shower and attend the written media. After that you have an afternoon snack and go to the post race briefing with all the engineers, which usually takes one hour, and is where you review all the information of the GP. Then, to the airport: sometimes you go home, sometimes you go to a sponsor event, sometimes to Italy to work on the simulator…

Hello Fer! What is the difference between the way you train with @fabrifisio and @edo_osteo?

I´ve been working with Fabrizio Borra for a lot of years. He´s in charge of the technical parameters and also assesses my fitness and medical aspects.

With Edoardo Bendinelli it´s more physical training, working on improving my fitness. With training and osteopathic techniques we can always maintain our bodies at its 100% potential. With the preparation I receive from both of them, I am ready to take on the demands of, not only a driver, but any sport you can imagine. So it’s safe to say I’m in good hands…

Nacho_2810p (TT) Do you consider yourself a cautious driver? Do you think that you have lost aggressiveness as you have become older?

I don´t think I am a cautious driver: I think I am a competitive driver and a fighter until the very last lap of the Grand Prix. With more or less success, better or worst results, but I’ve always got a fighter’s spirit. I don’t think I’ve lost aggressiveness over the years, I’ve achieved the biggest comebacks of my life in the last two years.

catalogomonster.jimd @jab… (TT) Do you still share the money you win after a victory with your mechanics?

Yes, I think it´s fair to share with those who have helped you to get on the podium or win a race. It would be unfair for me to take all the credit.

Bina Hdez Van Massenhove (FB)There are girls driving in Moto GP, and we have already seen female test drivers in F1. What do you think about driving alongside women?

It would be fantastic to share the grid with female drivers. I think it´s one of the bases of any sport, a coming together, with everyone practicing sport in equal terms.

luigimaranello (TT) All athletes have injuries. Have you ever driven being injured? What injuries?

Yes, sometimes. Sometimes you have muscular injuries, like a micro tear caused in training, tendinitis, a neck strain as a result of fatigue… But it’s just like in any other sport. I think the time I suffered most was at the beginning of last season, when I was suffering from an injury to the sciatic nerve which caused me a lot of pain to the leg towards the end of races. I also had a fever in a couple of races: at the end of the race I felt as if I was at the very limit of my strengths.

María Cristina Rama Gómez (FB)How do you manage to stop a bad moment in your personal life from affecting your performance in a Grand Prix?

When you step into one of these cars, believe me, you’re not thinking about anything else.

María Cristina Rama Gómez (FB) Do you think Massa is a Ferrari driver as of today? I insist, as of today.

He´s one of the best drivers in the world, and he has shown it during his whole career. It’s easy to praise when you have a good car but also to criticize when you have a bad one. I lived similar situations during my last stint at Renault, when some of my teammates were unfairly criticized and now, they are being praised once again.

María Cristina Rama Gómez (FB) Do you think McLaren could have made changes to your car at any GP in 2007 without telling you?

I don´t know, but it isn´t important now. I´ve been lucky enough to compete for McLaren and give my 100% to help what was my team at that time.

María Cristina Rama Gómez (FB) Do you think that Ferrari would do better if Briatore took over Domenicali´s job?

Stefano´s work is fantastic in every sense and I can´t think of anyone better than him. As I explained before, it only takes one race to pass from criticism to praise. I’m very good friends with Flavio and we talk frequently. He´s one of the most intelligent people I´ve ever met.

María Cristina Rama Gómez (FB) What’s been the toughest GP for you to take on psychologically? Why? Have you ever doubted your driving skills?

The 2009 Valencia Grand Prix, just a few days after my grandmother’s death.

No, I´ve never doubted my chances.

Will continue…

Next sunday, the rest of personal questions that Fernando Alonso answered to you.